Anelka burst onto the scene after being signed by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as a virtual unknown in February 1997. He cost the Gunners just £500,000 from Paris St Germain.

Was soon terrorising defences with his blistering pace and finishing ability, and netted his first Arsenal goal when grabbing the opening goal in a 3-2 home win over Manchester United. Went on to score nine goals as Arsenal won the Premiership.

But it was in the 98/99 season when the goals really started to flow - 21 to be precise.

Anelka, however, has always been seemingly led by his agents... who happen to be his brothers. Whether he would take the same course of action without them is open to debate.

Was very much outspoken in his final season at Highbury and eventually said he would not play for the club ever again. That left Wenger with no choice but to sell him to Real Madrid for £23m in August 1999.

Failed to really shine at Real... before falling out with the club and returned to PSG in the summer of 2000.

Failed to really shine at PSG... before falling out with the club. Notice a trend? The PSG board said their relationship with the player had completely collapsed.

It was Liverpool who pulled off something of a transfer coup on Christmas Eve 2001 when they took Anelka on loan for the remainder of the season after selling Robbie Fowler to Leeds United.

But the Reds denied the move represented any kind of risk. Anelka himself told the official Liverpool website: 'I am here for the rest of the season but Liverpool is such a big club with a great history that of course I am interested in staying here.

'When I left Arsenal it was always in my head to come back to England. I never said I didn't like the football in this country. When the opportunity came up to come to a club like Liverpool I was delighted. This is a good challenge for me.'

Anelka made his debut as a substitute in the 2-1 Boxing Day win at Aston Villa. Went on to score five goals in 15 starts at Anfield.

It was thought that Liverpool would sign Anelka on a permanent basis, but in May 2002 Gerard Houllier announced that he did not want to keep the striker.